


Lost in the Light

by yandereghouls



Category: Digimon - All Media Types
Genre: Adventure, Childhood, Digital World, Eventual Romance, Eventual relationship, F/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, relationship building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-07-23 20:58:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16166888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yandereghouls/pseuds/yandereghouls
Summary: Going into the summer holidays, Keiko Hashimoto was only worried about two things - one, how she was going to save up for the new game she wanted; and two, wether or not she wanted to attend summer camp.She certainly had never expected to be pulled into an alternate reality, with strange creatures all around and the fate of the world on her shoulders. Having no way to return back to her world, Keiko is forced to bond and grow alongside her new partners, facing both happiness and hardships along the way.A story of the building and progression of relationships through time, misfortune, and the ever-changing woes of adolescence in worlds both digital and not.





	1. Chapter 1

Masaru Hashimoto sat on his friend’s couch, his eyes unfocused and staring into space. He knew he should be paying more attention to his hosts, but with the way his life had been going the past few weeks, he was hardly aware of his surroundings. His heel tapped relentlessly against the worn carpet, the ice in his drink lightly clinking. The sound of squeaking springs pulled him out of the light daze he’d set himself in, his eyes focusing on Haruhiko Takenouchi, one of the only men he’d truly been able to call a friend in the past few years. 

“So, Masaru, I hear your wife has finally come to term, congratulations.” Haruhiko remarked, sipping lightly from his glass. Masaru let a smile slide across his plain face, recalling the events of only a few weeks prior. “Yes, a girl.”

“Well, isn’t that just wonderful.” Haruhiko’s wife, Toshiko, emerged from the kitchen, carrying a small tray of goodies and treats, dark red hair falling across a flowing green dress. For as long as he had known her, Masaru had always known Toshiko to be praised for her exquisite baking, and he found that these praises held no exaggeration as he bit into a perfectly prepared sesame cookie. “Her and our Sora will be just around the same age.” 

Toshiko and Haruhiko themselves had been gifted with a child not long ago. Masaru remembered the ecstatic phone call he had received from Haruhiko once they had discovered the pregnancy. Despite attempting for nearly two years, the couple had been having issues in successfully having a child. Masaru could recall the fear his friend had expressed to him nearly a year ago now, that perhaps Toshiko was unable to conceive, that he would never have a child of his own. Now, he could hardly remember the dejected look that had rested on his friends features as he now saw his proud and smiling face. Masaru could count on one hand the number of times he had seen their little girl, but he could certainly recall her uncanny resemblance to her mother. Although they shared the same pale skin and fiery hair, the girl’s kind, dark red eyes copied Haruhiko’s in a fashion that he found was nearly eerie.

“Yes, I do suspect the two will be good friends.” Masaru mouth ticked into a small smile as he thought of his daughter sleeping at home. He couldn’t be more grateful for the good fortune him and his wife had received in conceiving their second child, and he was glad that now his oldest son, Satoshi, now had a companion. Masaru hoped that having a younger sister to look after might stoke him into becoming more responsible. Even at the young age of three, his son had already developed lightly rebellious tendencies, something that hadn’t been sitting well with his wife.

“So, where is the little one? And your wife as well?” Haruhiko interjected, placing his hand upon his wife’s and squeezing her thin fingers.

“Emiko insisted that she stay home with her. She’s been rather tired for the past while, and understandably so.” Masaru had remembered the joking warnings he had received when he had told his mother of the news, having her insist that two children was much more difficult of a task than one, and that he could have trouble. She had, of course, followed up with saying she’d always be happy to keep the children for him. Masaru had thought she’d been exaggerating for the benefit of a joke, but he was increasingly seeing how right she had been. “Satoshi has already been a handful lately, and now with a baby as well... I really don’t know how she does it.”

“What is the name of the little one, anyways?” Toshiko leaned forward inquisitively. Her eyes shone brightly, and Masaru realized how excited she must be for him.

“Her name is Keiko.” Masaru said, his voice light and happy. He had been so glad to pick the name, as Emiko had insisted their first child be named after her father. Although his only real experience with babies had been his first-born, he noticed that Keiko seemed to be unusually calm for a child of her age. Although she was hardly a month old, she was never overtly difficult to deal with, or whiny. In fact, he had noticed that she didn’t show much emotion at all unless she was surrounded by others. Her eyes were a dark green, and seemed to follow every bit of action happening around her. Emiko had claimed she would grow up to be unusually perceptive, and Masaru couldn’t say he disagreed.

Toshiko smiled gently, picking the last of the goodies off the circular tray. “That’s a lovely name, Masaru. I do hope we can meet her soon.” He smiled in thanks, standing to fill his drink once more as he replied. 

“Yes, I assume you will. Emiko is insisting she stay sheltered for a few more weeks, but I’m sure I can convince her to have you and Sora over sometime.” Although he found his wife’s insistence that she remain at home odd, he said nothing of it to the Takenouchi’s. The last thing he wanted was to sound judgemental of his wife’s actions.

A smile graced Toshiko’s lips, her eyes crinkling in the corners. “We would like that very much.” She raised her glass lightly, the thin, silver ring on her left hand shining. “To Keiko, may she remain healthy and happy until the day we part. Kampai!”

Masaru’s heart lightened at her tone. He sipped lightly at his drink with a small grin stretching his cheeks. He wasn’t certain what difficulties would lie ahead, but he now felt as though he could take it in stride, especially with such great friends by his side.

_SIX YEARS LATER_

“Dad? Dad! Come on, I am not going to be late again!” Masaru sighed and rubbed his eyes. hearing his son yell from down the hallway of their small house. He had hardly had any sleep in the past week, and the last thing he had wanted was to be awoken by his nine year old son screaming as the morning sun was hardly coming through his window. 

He rolled over in bed, noticing the absence of his wife. Their third child, Ayumi, had been born hardly three weeks before, and it had been impossible for him to have a full sleep ever since, seeing as she cried bloody murder at all hours of the night. Emiko had taken to falling asleep in the nursery as to avoid waking him every hour, but even his sleep-deprived body couldn’t drown out the wailing sounds that rang through the halls at three in the morning.

By the time he had dressed himself and arranged his thin hair semi-tidily, Satoshi had already planted himself at the front door, bag and baseball bat laying haphazardly beside him. The boy was leaned over, attempting to adjust his shin guards over his legs. He struggled, leg flying up in the air as he attempted to forcefully pull the tightened guard over his ankle. Masaru raised his eyebrows and walked over, examining his sons efforts. They shared the same pale blonde hair and thin, tall build, his arms and legs were nearly too long and hung awkwardly at his sides. Just as he opened his mouth, he heard the clomping of little sneakers coming up behind him. Keiko’s long ponytails flapped behind her like a cape as she rushed towards her brother with a worried look on her face. “Satoshi, no! If you break it Momma will be mad.” 

She grabbed at the shin guard with her chubby hand, narrowly avoiding a foot to the head. Satoshi scowled, pulling away from his sister. “Stop, Keiko. I can do it myself.” He finally loosened the straps, letting the guard slip easily over his lower leg. Despite his harsh tone, Keiko’s face remained unchanged as she hovered over her brother. Masaru sighed, snatching his car keys from the small bowl by the door and slinging Satoshi’s bag over his shoulder. 

His son had been beginning to get to the age where he no longer wanted his baby sister following him around everywhere, and he certainly didn’t want any girl telling him what to do. “Satoshi, that’s enough. I have to go drop off your sister at the Takenouchi’s before we even reach your game.” 

Ignoring his sons impatient grumbling, Masaru stretched a hand towards Keiko. Sucking in her cheek, the young girl shook her head. “I’m going to stay home, Mommy’s sad.” 

Expression softening, Masaru opened his mouth to protest, but paused among seeing the decisive look in his daughters eyes. Solemnly, he nodded, leading Satoshi out the door. It troubled him that even his daughter, no older than six, could sense his wife’s displacement. It had been hard for him to detect at first, but after just the first week of Ayumi being born he could sense a change in his wife. Although it was subtle, as if just a piece of the puzzle had been removed and crammed back into the wrong spot, it ran unease through him. They had hardly any time to theirselves, and he found that when they did, she was distant and cold towards him. She had even come to ignoring the children, locking herself in her room. The image of his wife sitting in their bed as he arrived home from work, her knees to her chest and staring blankly into the wall as the baby cried, and cried, and _cried_. He had had no idea how long she had been sitting like that, and he didn’t ask. They never spoke of it, and Masaru’s heart felt heavy just thinking of it. He shook his head, he shouldn’t be thinking such things, he couldn’t let himself. Everything was fine.

Keiko tiptoed towards her mothers room, stepping lightly as to minimize the squeaking of the floors. She knew her mother could be sleeping, she usually was at this time. It was only as she stepped closer towards the bedroom could she hear the rustling of clothes and drawers shifting in their slots. Curiosity peaked, Keiko peeked her head just enough to see through the crack of the brown door, eyes peering inside quickly. Emiko Hashimoto flitted haphazardly around the room, one hand clutching a handful of shirts and the other combing back her ebony hair mindlessly. Her green eyes were clouded and panicked. A grey suitcase was thrown onto the mattress, a mound of clothing piled chaotically into the bag. 

With her interest piqued, Keiko leaned into the door, hoping to catch another peek inside. Stepping forward, her eyes closed in wince as they floor creaked terribly under her weight. Her mother’s eyes whipped towards the door, looking quizzical. “Keiko, honey, are you there?”

Her heart in her throat, the girl stepped forward, her hands held bashfully in front of her. Emiko’s eyes softened, a slightly saddened look falling across her dainty features. Keiko sometimes thought her mom resembled the fairy queen in her favourite bedtime stories, they had the same sharp nose and high cheekbones, the same sleek, dark hair. When she mentioned it once, Emiko had laughed, calling her a silly girl with a big imagination. Nevertheless, on the next shopping trip with her father, Keiko insisted her father buy her a little silver crown and fairy wings. She emerged home twirling around her mother in giggles, announcing that she was now the fairy princess, since her mother was a queen. Although Emiko had only laughed and brought her daughter up into her arms, Keiko could see a joyful gleam in her eye. That same happy shine had disappeared since then, now only showing worry, and sadness.

Keiko walked into her mother’s extended arms, letting herself be lifted up onto her lap as they sat on the bed. Keiko rested her head on her shoulder, letting her back be stroked lightly. She could feel her mother’s fingers shaking lightly against her spine, and hear the audible pounding of her heart.

“I’m going to need to go away for a while, sweetie.” When she spoke, her voice was quiet and soft, but Keiko could still hear the light tremor in the words. Keiko shut her eyes tightly, holding onto her mother, hoping to soothe her. She could sense something was wrong, the way children often could. “For how long, Momma?”

She could feel Emiko’s shaky breath as her chest rose. The mother’s eyes drifted over with tears, her jaw beginning to chatter with the strain of holding back her tears. “A long time, baby. But don’t you worry, Daddy will make it all better.”

“You can’t leave, Momma. I don’t want you to.” Keiko sniffled, her chubby hands locking behind her mother’s neck as she pulled her in for a firm hug. Emiko’s hands lay flat at her side.

“I have to, Keiko. I just-“ she paused, looking behind her daughter into the bustling rural area seen through her window. She could hear Keiko’s sniffling voice over the blade of car horns and the excited chatter of school children. Her heart ached, a feeling of emptiness settling deep in her stomach. “It will be for the better.”

Keiko didn’t understand what she meant by that, in fact, she wasn’t sure she ever would. All she knew was her mother was leaving, there was nothing she could do, and her heart ached something terrible. The rustling of birds could be heard on the windowsill. The house remained silent.

_ONE YEAR LATER_

Masaru couldn’t help the feeling of nostalgia that now came along with sitting on the Takenouchi’s couch. He had been here too often in the past year, new thoughts running through his head each time, although they all lead to the same ending; him spread out on the cushions, fast asleep from the power of one too many drinks, with Toshiko to head to his house and look after his children. Satoshi was ten now, and although he knew how to cook and clean well enough, he was much too young to watch an infant and a seven-year old without assistance. Masaru can’t help the stab of guilt he feels as he recalls showing his son how to take care of a child, and how to adequately prepare food for himself and his siblings, emphasizing that these were skills he would need both now and in the future. He hadn’t intended to put that sort of pressure on him, but he hadn’t had the choice. He had needed to work the night  
shift to cover the expense of bills. It wasn’t easy balancing the needs of three kids, especially once you’re required to pick up a second job to make ends meet. 

Rubbing a tired hand across his eyes, Masaru took a small sip of his drink. He would need to drive home sooner or later, and he knew Haruhiko would cut him off after two, and so he nursed it slowly, enjoying the burn in his chest. He distantly heard Haruhiko coming to sit in the seat next to him, but the sound seemed distant and hollow, echoing against the back of his head.

Haruhiko sighed as he observed his friend, his heart weighing in his chest. “Hey, buddy. I know you’ve been going through some stuff since-“ He paused, watching Masaru’s shoulders stiffen as he even neared the subject. He cleared his throat. “This can’t keep happening, Masaru. It’s not good for you, or the little ones.”

Masaru’s jaw ticked, eyes flashing. “Don’t tell me how to deal with my family, Haruhiko.” He knew what he had said was rude, but having his friend critique him in such a sensitive area of his life rubbed him completely the wrong way.

“It’s been over a year, it might be time now. I know it’s difficult but-“ A bitter laugh escaped Masaru’s throat before he could stop it.

“And what would you know about difficulty, Haruhiko? You didn’t need to pick up two jobs to get your bills paid on time, you weren’t left with three kids to take care of by yourself, you don’t have to deal with your seven year old daughter crying and asking you when her mommy is coming home when you know she’s _nev-_ “ Masaru stopped himself as he heard his harsh tone. His face coloured as he rearranged himself, his eyes misting. He felt ashamed of his words and hostility, Haruhiko had been nothing but kind and a rock to him in the past year.

He could still remember waking up that morning, how odd it had been without Emiko snoring next to him on that early summer morning. She had left nothing behind but the smell of her perfume and a short, precise note explaining that she had left, and not to expect her to return. Masaru had been unable to move, to speak, to breathe. Seeing as the had been together since their early college years, he could hardly imagine adulthood, without her. The first thing he brought himself to do was call Toshiko. He remembers her and Haruhiko rushing over, Toshiko brewing a fresh pot of tea as Haruhiko assisted Satoshi in readying his baseball equipment. His hands had been shaking so badly, his cup of tea nearly collapsed on his lap. His face softened as he recalled all the couple had done in the past to assist him. He looked bashfully towards his friend.

“My apologies, Haruhiko. I’ve gotten out of line. I-“ Masaru paused as he saw a head of dark hair poking around the corner of the wall. His heart filled with same, eyes saddening. “Keiko? It’s ok, you can come out, darling.”

His daughter approached slowly, with his friend’s daughter trailing close behind, her red eyes peering in over Keiko. She held a dark, furry stuffed animal close to her chest. A cat she had received as a gift from his grandmother as a child. Even as she grew, Keiko was never seen far without it. Masaru forced a small smile across his face, gesturing the girls over. “It’s quite alright, the adults were just having a bit of grown up talk.”

Keiko’s dark green eyes peered up at him inquisitively, a murky mix of brown and green tones. “You don’t need to pretend, Daddy. It’s ok. I know you’re sad about Mommy.” 

Masaru’s eyes widened, observing his daughter. He had always noticed her as an unusually perceptive child, and he had gone to extensive lengths not to show his children how deeply their mother’s departure had affected him. “Sweetie, I-“

“It’s ok, Daddy. We know you try your hardest, just like you always tell Satoshi to do in baseball!” Keiko flashed a big grin, a large gap missing from the top row of teeth. 

The words seemed to have a calming effect on Masaru, as he leaned back into the couch, pulling his daughter closer to him. He breathed in the smell of her clean hair, and watched her eyes flick around the room contently. Thouse eyes reminded him so deeply of her mother. With his heart weighing heavily, Masaru said a quick goodbye to his friend and Sora, their identical red eyes gleaming as they waved goodbye.


	2. Chapter 2

_THREE YEARS LATER_

Keiko could feel the adrenaline rush through her body, her eyes burned with concentration. She leaned forward, her muscles tense with anticipation, she could feel her fingers cramp with strain. Almost there, just a little more and-

“Aha! Yes!” Satoshi jumped up onto the couch cushions, the springs squealing under the weight. Keiko lay back, discouraged as the flashing ‘GAME OVER’ screen played in her eyelids. She tossed a pillow at Satoshi’s legs as he sprung into a celebratory dance, his arms swinging in the air. He grinned at her, poking her arm with his finger. “Ah, come on sis, don’t be such a sore loser.”

Keiko stuck out her tongue at him. “There’s nothing to be sore about since you cheated! That was the luckiest shot I’ve ever seen!” She had come into somewhat of a routine with her brother, that after they had completed their school work and fed their sister, the game would be on. Keiko couldn’t bring herself to remember the proper name, and she didn’t really care. All she knew was that there were zombie-like creatures, sick guns, and gory graphics her father would _definitely_ not find suitable for a ten year old girl. 

Satoshi glanced at her with a challenged look in his eye. “Tiebreaker, winner takes all. Loser has to do the dishes for a week.” Keiko knew her brother was taunting her, she had grown used to his competitive nature in the past years, and yet she still found herself intrigued. Her lips quirked up in a smirk. “You’re on.”

The two played through the afternoon, nearly forgetting to eat as they became so engrossed in the screen. Keiko had hardly heard her father walk in the door, shouting triumphantly as she bested her brother. She remarked that every few rounds he would become a bit more clumsy and unrefined in his aim and tactics, missing an obvious shot or running down the wrong hallway. In the back of her mind, she recognized that he would be letting her win every once in a while, although she realized that she didn’t really mind.

Masaru smiled at the two, his bones aching as he set down his bag. He only had a few hours before he had to speed off to his evening job. The night classes he taught only ran on Monday’s, Wednesday’s and Friday’s, but he still found that the few extra hours helped infinitely with his income, even if it meant he had very little time to himself. Some days, he was lucky to even enjoy a cup of tea to himself between occupations. Teaching and preparing English courses on top of working a bland, nine-to-five desk job left a person with limited options of downtime.

Satoshi smiled lightly at his father, his legs tucked underneath him as he quickly switched the channel on the tv. Masaru quirked a hidden smile, how odd it was that children thought they were so sly in hiding things. “Hey, Dad. Ayumi’s taking her nap.”

Masaru nodded, observing his son. He found it nearly hard to believe how much the boy had matured over the years. His once cocky and defiant attitude had been shielded by the grownup and protective aura around him. His legs were longer and his eyes were sharper, more cautious.His untidy blonde hair had now grown past his ears, maintaining some piece of a boyish look. “Good, thank you. Have the two of you received your marks?”

As Satoshi happily handed his father the report he had received earlier in the day, Keiko sheepishly stared at her socks. Masaru regarded her apprehensively. “Keiko? You must have received yours by this point.” 

Shuffling lightly in her bag, Keiko finally pulled out a manila envelope, her family name and year imprinted crisply in black type on the front. She gulped, placing the envelope on the chipped countertop and sliding it towards her father. Her heart felt heavy in her chest as her father read through the page, the line in his brow deepening. He set his glasses on the table, his eyes not leaving the page.

It was quite obvious why his daughter had been reluctant to present the report card, it was written plainly there; the majority of large red C’s throughout the page, paling in comparison to the impressive amount of A’s popping through on her brothers paper. Keiko chewed the inside of her cheek, fingers twitching nervously. She had always been particularly strong in languages, so much so that the teachers were often impressed with her superior reading comprehension. It was in maths and sciences where she found herself utterly confused and dismayed, the words passing through her head as if it was empty. She had never been able to truly grasp the concepts, her brain always felt too jumbled, and all the different numbers and formulas simply confused her.

Keiko braced her heart, steeling herself for the disappointed talk she felt she would receive from her father. He had always put such merit and importance on schoolwork. As she peeked up, patient eyes looked down at her. “Keiko, I understand the difficulty you’ve been having in your studies but low marks like these are still unacceptable.”

Keiko kicked at the ground. “I know, Dad. I tried.” She could feel backs of her eyes burning. Masaru sighed, and reached for his daughters hand. His tone was low and firm. “We’ll get you some help dear, but you have to be putting some more effort into your studies and less into other, less beneficial things.” 

“But Dad, in English I was top in my class-“ Keiko stared up at her father, green eyes downturned and disappointed. A hollow pang ran through Masaru’s chest. Masaru raised a hand, going to rub his eyes. “One cannot get through life with words alone, you need smarts in _real_ fields if you want to get anywhere. We will speak no more of this, Keiko. Please, let me rest” Keiko had a protest on the tip of her tongue, saying she _had_ been studying, she _had_ been staying after classes for extra assistance, she _had_ been sacrificing nearly all her free time to impress her father. Her words fell short as her father turned away, shuffling towards her sisters bedroom down the hall. 

She pushed down the hurt she felt, running back towards the couch, where Satoshi had already returned to his games. Keiko let out a sigh of relief. Satoshi hadn’t seemed to have payed any mind to the conversation, and for that she was glad. She didn’t want him to feel bad for her, she simply needed to work harder for her father’s approval. As she grabbed for a controller, she felt a heavy hand fall across her shoulders. Satoshi smiled down at her kindly, his eyes compassionate and soft. “Don’t worry too much about what Dad says, Keiko. He’s just tired because of work. I’m sure he’s very proud of you.”

Somehow, Keiko couldn’t find herself to believe those kind words, but she would have hated to discourage Satoshi’s kindness towards her, and so she nodded in thanks. She didn’t doubt that things would get better. In her experience, life had a way of always turning out great in the end, even if there was a little hurt in the middle.

Later that night, while the streets were unmoving and silent, and all her siblings lay fast asleep in their beds, Keiko stared up at her ceiling. An open notebook lay next to her, the science notes inside messy and unclear. Her brain felt muddled and heavy, any thought pertaining to schoolwork having her fall into a sleep-like trance. She could hear the warm hum of the television in the living room, which meant her father was most likely working on his students worksheets late into the night again. Her mood steeped even more as she remembered the events of earlier that day, the disappointment she had felt. 

In a hope to clear her mind, Keiko tiptoed towards the kitchen, careful not to disturb her father. She knew how he would get in the ‘zone’ while he was correcting assignments, and he didn’t like anyone bothering him. The voices of the television grew louder as she approached, and she could hear the scratch of pen on paper as her father hunched over the glass coffee table in the middle of the room. Keiko paused at the end of the hall as the voices became more clear. “I don’t know, Haruhiko. I haven’t been-“

Curiously, Keiko leaned forward, pressing her ear out towards where her father sat. She could see now the phone he held between his shoulder and his ear, his back tense.

“Sora has already jumped to the top of her class, hasn’t she? And with her soccer skills, it’s certain she’ll make great accomplishments.” Although she could only hear mumbling on the other end of the call, it needed no investigating to know who her father was discussing with. Haruhiko Takenouchi was, after all, his only close friend. Keiko furrowed her forehead, becoming more confused as the conversation lead on. What could her father be doing, calling the Takenouchi’s at this hour.

“Well, of course I’m not saying that, Haruhiko. It’s just-“ she could see her father visibly pause and readjust himself, scratching out a line on the paper in front of him. There was a silence, and when he spoke again, his voice was quieter, sadder. “There are some days I don’t think I can do it. I see too much of her and it breaks me down. Those eyes... those are Emiko’s eyes, Haruhiko. I can’t even look at her some days because of those eyes. And I know it’s not fair to Keiko, it’s time I move on, but how can I move forward when there’s a constant reminder of my loss in front of me, _every, single day_?”

Keiko’s breath stopped in her chest, no longer preoccupied with the noise she was making as she bolted back to her room, jumping under the covers. Her heart squeezed in her chest as she pulled the thick blanket up to her nose, hoping to will away the guilt she felt in her bones. She lay motionless, evening her breathing, letting her mind reel. Her mind still wouldn’t be calmed as she opened her eyes to the morning light streaming in, the sound of birds a melody to her ears.

_A Few Weeks Later_

“Dad, this is a bad idea.” Keiko dragged her dotted orange bag behind her, sticking herself firmly next to her father, who had been spending nearly too long frying his eggs. He had always enjoyed breakfast foods at all times of day, although he seemed to have difficulty preparing it. He winced as the egg crackled in the pan, browning on the edges. “Now that definitely wasn’t right...”

Keiko eyed her father amusedly, snatching the metal spatula from his hand and shovelling the remnants of his meal onto a small plate, scraping the blackened bits into the trash. “I don’t understand why you’ve become so reluctant, Keiko. The Takenouchi’s are very kind people, they’ve helped us out in more ways than you know in these past years.”

Keiko grumbled, pulling her bag between her knees as she slumped into a dining room chair. She had hardly spoken a word to Sora in the past two years, and now her father wanted her to spend the night at her house? “Dad, I doubt Sora even wants me there. We’re not exactly close.”

Masaru snorted, observing his daughter. “Don’t speak nonsense, Keiko. Of course she wants you there! Tell me, why else would she have invited you?” It wasn’t technically true, as it was really Toshiko, Sora’s mother, who had suggested the two girls spend a night together, just like old times. Masaru had thought it was a great idea, as he had planned to take Satoshi’s baseball team out to dinner that night, and he had been thinking that his daughter needed more connections to girls her own age. She had always either been around her brother and his friends, or her younger sister, and although Masaru admired her flexibility and responsibility, a young girl needed to be around girls like her, and Sora seemed to be the perfect influence. “The two of you were the best of friends as children, I’m sure you’ll snap right back into your old ways.”

Upon arriving at the Takenouchi’s, Keiko quickly noticed the differences in their homes. The furniture was newer, and the kitchen more tidy. Where Keiko’s tables held bonsai trees and artificial plants, the Takenouchi’s had beautifully arranged flowers and knick-knacks. Sora’s clothes were nicer, more girly and appropriate than her own hand-me-downs she had received from her brother. The entire house smelled of fresh baking and aromatic flowers.

“Oh, my gosh, Keiko! It’s been too long since I last saw you.” Toshiko, Sora’s mother, had a warm air to her, something comforting and familiar. Keiko smiled warmly at her, fingers gripping her bag tightly. She told herself that, for the sake of her father, she would try her hardest to enjoy herself. She knew he worried for her, and this could be an easy fix. Toshiko smiled down at her with inviting eyes. “We were just about to start supper, if you haven’t eaten already?”

Keiko nodded, doing her best to seem kind and polite. “That would be great, Mrs. Takenouchi.” Toshiko coloured, rushing back to the stove as a timer dinged sharply. “Please, only Toshiko. ‘Mrs. Takenouchi’ makes me feel much too old. I believe Sora’s already at the table if you’d like to go say hi.”

Nodding lightly, Keiko shuffled into the dining room, careful not to appear too awkward or shaken. The first thing she noticed was Sora’s hair, it was much shorter, and more vibrant than the last time she’d seen her, although now most of it was covered by a dark blue helmet. Her eyes were still large, and kind like her mother’s and, to Keiko’s surprise, she smiled upon seeing her. “Keiko! Come, sit down! You came on a good night, Mom’s making teriyaki salmon!”

It surprised her how easily Sora fell into conversation with her even after they had grown apart. Although they only really spoke of superficial things, Keiko came to feel more comfortable around the girl. 

As the night grew on, and the girls retreated to Sora’s room, Keiko felt nearly completely at ease. She had always found it easy to fake a joyful conversation with someone for the sake of politeness, but she felt she didn’t need to do that with Sora. Keiko flopped back onto Sora’s cream sheets, enjoying the feeling of a full belly. “That supper was _amazing_. Your mom is a food goddess!” 

“If you like that, just wait until you try her desserts!” Sora giggled, setting her cap neatly beside her dresser. Rolling over, Keiko’s eyes caught on a golden circle laying on Sora’s shelf. She stretched to examine it, eyebrows raised. “Are you still playing soccer?”

Sora perked up, red eyes shining with enjoyment. “Yeah! I play center-field, although I really prefer to play striker. I can help my team get more goals that way, and it always feels awesome when you score!”

Keiko didn’t understand all the soccer terminology, but she could grasp the idea of what Sora was saying. “Oh, so it’s kind of like being the star batter on your baseball team, you get to make all the points!”

“Yeah, I guess it is!” Keiko was glad they could find common ground, despite their differing interests. She had never really felt the need to be close to anyone other than her family before this, and it was a relief to speak with someone other than Satoshi about day-to-day life. It was late into the night by the time Sora’s mother finally entered the room, setting down a futon for Keiko and claiming it was lights out until the morning.

Keiko opened her eyes groggily a few hours later to Sora jostling her awake, a worried expression hung over her face. She spoke in a sharp whisper. “Keiko, get up! Something weird’s happening with my clock.”

Blinking awake, Keiko’s eyes focused slowly on the clock sitting beside Sora’s bed. Her curiosity grew as she witnessed the numbers, rapidly shifting and blinking in no particular rhythm or pattern. She shifted her eyes to her electronic watch, brows furrowing as she found the same puzzling results. She tapped the screen, hoping to set right the time, to no avail. “Strange, it’s like the clocks are going haywire.”

“Yeah, we should go check in the kitchen to see if the same thing is happening. It could be some dangerous malfunction.” Sora nodded, her eyes were strong but Keiko could hear a waver in her tone. She steeled her expression, pushing down the bad feeling that had been rising in her chest. The two snuck quietly into the kitchen, giving each other befuddled looks as they discovered they examined the clocks on both the oven and the microwave, both reacting similarly to the clocks in Sora’s room. Keiko shuffled towards the television, twisting the knobs in an attempt to shut off the static buzz that had been bothering her ears. “So it’s not only the clocks, technology itself seems to be acting weirdly...” She mumbles to herself, perching behind the television stand to examine its wiring.

“Keiko! Keiko, come over here! You’re gonna want to see this!” Sora was leaning outside onto her balcony, orange hair flying wildly into her eyes. Keiko rushed over as silently as she could, careful not to slip on her overly long pyjama pants. She stopped herself dead, nearly bulldozing Sora as she got a full view of the sky. Clouds swirled over the neighbourhood in a large circle, looming widely over the large buildings, the sky a dark indigo. Keiko’s jaw hung open as she stared upwards in disbelief. “Why does the sky look like a grape smoothie?”

Her legs froze in place as she noticed the clouds seemed to be extending downwards, circling and forming a globe-like shape. It seemed as if the sky itself was being moved and manipulated to form and extend into what seemed to be a giant, glowing egg. Keiko’s knees crumbled under her as she fell to her bottom, eyes unable to tear away from the large form now dropping towards the ground. She could picture the world ending in that moment, the end scene of one of her brothers video games coming to mind and playing endlessly in her brain. An apocalyptic wasteland being left behind as the world is swallowed by a purple sky. 

Thankfully, the world continued to exist even as the egg dropped to the ground. Even from the considerable distance they were, Keiko could feel fear squeeze in her chest as she witnessed one large crack form in the egg, and then another, and another. The shell of the egg was pushed away and flung aside, a large parrot-like creature emerging from its core. Keiko’s mouth felt dry as cotton, and she grasped for Sora’s hand to keep her steady. 

“That bird has to be at least three stories tall.” Sora’s voice was as meak as a mouse, her fingers trembling in Keiko’s hand. “We’d better pray it doesn’t come our way.”

Just as the words left Sora’s mouth, a screech emitted through the air, so loud Keiko swore she could feel her brain rattling around in her head. Lights flickered around her as the bird pushed off the ground, taking flight in the air. It was only when the bird began to spit a blue flame to the ground did Keiko notice the second monster. Although it was considerably smaller than the parrot, the second monster, a large, orange dinosaur, seemed to be holding his own. He snorted a red flame towards the bird, neatly clipping its wing with heat. As a second blast of blue flame was blasted towards the earth, Keiko shot her hands up to her ears to diminish the sound, eyes squeezing shut as the world went black around her.

When Keiko reopened her eyes, the dinosaur had grown much larger, nearly to the height of an apartment building, a brown mask covering his face, but not the scarily large teeth he bared towards the parrot. Her heart seized in her chest as the parrot crashed through the top of a nearby building, nearly demolishing the whole upper half. “Sora, we need to go get help. We need to do _something_ , what if people are getting hurt? Sora?”

The girl turned towards Keiko, seemingly snapped out of the trance she had been in. Her eyes were wide and terrified, slow tears falling hotly down her cheeks. She shook and let out a scream as an attack grazed their building, the floor shaking beneath them. “Are you crazy? All we would do is get more people, and ourselves, hurt. We can’t do anything but sit back and wait for this all to be over.”

Keiko locked her jaw to keep her chin from trembling. Sora was right, she couldn’t do anything, and get she couldn’t stop thinking of her father, staying late at work, or little Ayumi, barely strong enough to stand on her own. How could she protect them if she was stuck right here, frozen in fear. Swallowing hard, Keiko put her fear out of her mind. Worrying over something will not change the outcome of it, as her father would say, and right now, she needed to be strong for Sora. 

She outstretched a trembling arm to her friend, pulling her close. There was a sense of safety in being close, and she hoped she was able to give Sora an inch of comfort as well. Keiko looked on to the street as the monsters seemed to fight with a renewed intensity. She winced each time a building or car was shook with the power of the monsters attacks, clinging closely to Sora. It seemed as if she only blinked, and as she reopened her eyes, the monsters had disappeared, leaving behind no trace except for the destruction they had wreaked across Highton View Terrace. 

Keiko sat still for a long moment, her bones feeling frozen and immovable from shock. Even as her and Sora returned to their beds, huddling under Sora’s covers together, the two stayed restlessly awake, unaware of how their lives would be forever changed because of the events they had witnessed that very night.


	3. Chapter 3

_THE NEXT DAY_

Haruhiko found himself at his dining table early in the morning, the sun just beginning peeking over the horizon. His hands shook as he poured his coffee, flinching as his hand slipped and the hot drink ran over his knuckles. The night had been long, and tiresome. He watched the news closely as the reporters took in closer views of the damage reached around Highton View Terrace, many buildings being nearly levelled in the mysterious attack from the night before.

He had been awoken in the early hours by the shaking of their building, quickly jumping out of bed to check on the girls. His eyes burned with relief as he saw them cradled together on the balcony, a blanket wrapped tightly around them as they clung to each other. Even after assuring his daughters safety, Haruhiko still couldn’t bring himself to sleep, lying awake in bed until finally his muscles itches to _move_ , to distract himself from the panic slowly building in his chest.

Haruhiko was lightly comforted by the sight of his wife walking into the kitchen, though she didn’t look much better than he. The bags under her eyes were dark, more pronounced, and her cheeks were starch white, lacking their normal pink hue. She moved slowly, carefully, as if one wrong move would send her shattering apart. She paused in the middle of fixing herself a cup of tea, her fingers shaking as she turned her eyes away from the television screen. “They’re calling it a terrorist attack.”

Haruhiko nodded solemnly, recalling the frightened screams he had heard from the upper floors, the shaking of the pictures against the walls. He knew his wife was shaken, and yet he couldn’t find the words to bring her comfort. “That they are.”

Toshiko took in a shaky breath, standing straighter. “I-I have to call Masaru, he must be worried out of his mind.”

She scrambled towards the phone, fingers shaking as she dialed the number she had committed to memory. After four long rings, she was greeted by a groggy Masaru, clearly having just been woken up at this dead hour by her call. “Yes, Masaru, I was only calling to assure you that we are safe, and so is Keiko. The attack of last night has us all shaken, but unharmed.”

She could hear a grunt on the other end as Masaru lifted himself upwards. “Attack? What nonsense are you speaking of Toshiko? You were attacked?”

Toshiko’s face dropped, her worry only increasing. “My lord, Masaru, do you not turn on the news every once in a while in that house of yours?”

“Well, yes, I had plenty of time for television antics between you waking me up so pitifully early and this very moment.” Sarcasm dripped from his words, and he could feel a bit of regret. Toshiko did seem genuinely shaken, and he was sure his attitude was doing no wonders with that. He sighed dejectedly, forcing some warmth into his tone. “Thank you for keeping me up to date, Toshiko. I’m glad everyone is safe and unharmed. I’ll be by to pick up Keiko later today.”

The couple sat fitfully at the table, a dim silence falling over the two. Toshiko peered out the window, eyes falling upon the many emergency units still stationed around the neighbouring streets. Panic burned still under her skin, stomach full with knots. She glanced towards the hall, catching view her daughters room. She had hardly been able to hold herself together while she cradled her child in her chest that morning, heaving with relief as Sora clung to her shoulders. She knew others hadn’t been so lucky. A ball formed in her throat at the thought.

“We should move. If this havoc continues, it won’t be safe for Sora.”

Haruhiko breathed out slowly, the tension in his shoulders lessening. “I agree. They can’t even pinpoint the cause of the damage, such unpredictable behaviour is too dangerous to risk. We never know when the next attack could be.” He followed his wife’s eyes, outwards to their daughters room, heart aching in his chest. “I know we’ve been happy here, but I’m not willing to risk our daughters safety over such a thing.”

He gulped, struggling to breathe, blank eyes never leaving the destructive scenery in front of him. “One of my coworkers, Hana Sato, I believe her and her husband are attempting to sell their place in Odaiba. It’s a nice lot, quaint, but pretty. It would be very manageable.”

No matter how much warm tea she drank, Toshiko couldn’t shake the cold feeling in her chest, unease spreading through her. She inhaled shakily, nodding. “Contact them as soon as possible. Odaiba is nice, quiet.” _and far enough away that I won’t need to worry._

_A YEAR LATER_

It was a long while before Keiko was able to push away the memories of that night at Sora’s house. Thinking back, she doubted that they ever _truly_ went away in the first place. Even as the months dragged along, she still found herself jolting awake throughout the night, images of a swirling purple sky and raging monsters dancing behind her eyelids, her friends terrified face looking back at her. They had never discussed the incident. In fact, it seemed as though both Sora and Keiko were more happy letting the memory fade away than digging deeper into the mystery of that night. And so life went on, the mysterious monsters and attacks fading from everyone’s thoughts.

It wasn’t until the first day of her sixth year that Keiko truly noticed how drastically her life had changed throughout the year. She now had the task of walking Ayumi to school every day, it seemed hard to believe that her baby sister was now entering her first year of schooling. She was tall for her age, much taller than Keiko had been, and her ebony hair was falling well past her shoulder blades. She had even learned numbers one to ten, already reading ahead in her books. She seemed to be growing faster than Keiko could keep up.

She could feel herself opening up more and more to her peers, no longer the quiet girl who would only occasionally raise her hand, or speak up. The one that no one really minded, but also didn’t make an effort to be around. She noticed she had made _friends_ , real friends who were her age and invited her to impromptu sleepovers and would ask to have lunch with her. She found herself preening with newfound confidence, becoming more outspoken and opinionated. For the first time, she felt like she made an impact on people, and she enjoyed it.

Satoshi had been accepted onto the more advanced baseball league, where he would be playing alongside the older boys. Keiko liked to spend her spare time watching his games, or practicing with him on the field. She was sure to always refill his water bottle when he needed, and when the outcome of a game seemed grim, she would always remind Satoshi to keep his head high, and _fight_.

Even though she sometimes worried that she embarrassed her brother, cheering loudly in the stands and waving her hands wildly as another ball soared through the air, it would always be worth it once Satoshi turned towards the stands, towards her, before anything else, eyes beaming with the excitement of a fresh victory.

At the end of a particularly gruesome game, she could remember him falling to his knees, fists shaking as he clenched his bat with both hands, the hands that had failed him. She had been the one to pick him back up, to wipe the dirt off his face. His eyes were red, and his voice was shaky but still he gave her a reassuring grin, ruffling the top of her hair. _You can’t be  
on top all the time, _ he had said, _then we’d have nothing to work for!_. In her mind, she knew he couldn’t truly be so happy over such a devastating loss, and yet she still believed him, seeing him pick his head back up and smile towards the sky.

She had watched many afternoons turn into evenings, preparing dinner alone as Satoshi aided Ayumi with her words and numbers, the hot water screeching at her as it dribbled onto the stove. She had spent many late nights cleaning up after her sister’s messes and crayons, organizing her schoolwork and lunch for the following day, always being sure to put away a portion of dinner that her father could sample as he arrived home. It wasn’t much, and yet it was the best she could do.

Yes, she could feel herself growing up, if a little too quickly.

_A YEAR LATER_

After around an hour throwing balls in the blazing summer sun, Keiko was usually happy enough to call it quits. Her shoulder was becoming increasingly tired, and sweat dripped down her brow. Satoshi stood a good thirty feet in front of her, wooden bat clenched between his enclosed fists. “Keiko, come on!”

Her shoulders sagged, her hand shielding her eyes from the sun as she threw her brother a disdainful look. “It’s been an hour Satoshi, shouldn’t we go inside? It’s too hot!”

She could nearly hear her brother rolling his eyes, leaning over into the bat lazily. “Come on, don’t be a baby. Even Ayumi’s enjoying the heat, and she’s an _actual_ baby.”

Keiko observes her younger sister, watching her waddle around after spare balls and drawing her name in the sand. She giggled happily as Satoshi gently passed the ball back towards her, catching it in her chubby hands. She pulled against the shirt sticking to her back, irritated. “It’s not like you need more practice anyways, you’re already the best on the team.”

Satoshi smiled bashfully, his teeth contrasting sharply with his sun-kissed skin. He knew he was good, better than most at his age level even, but just ‘good’ wasn’t good enough. ‘Good’ wouldn’t get him where he needed to be. “There’s always room for improvement, Keiko. The worst mistake a player can make is become too cocky and begin to slack off.” He set his expression, readjusting his fingers around the grip. “Besides, getting used to your left hand throws could just be what puts me over the edge.”

Sighing, Keiko adjusted her fingertips to the ball, turning her left foot backwards as she prepared to throw. She knew the real reason why Satoshi pushed himself so hard in sports, it was hanging on his bedroom wall. At first, she had been upset when she had discovered the pamphlets, dark navy and white with a large tree blooming across the front page. She remembered screaming at her brother, seething and hurt at the thought of him moving away from her for his studies, especially as far as Kyoto. Her heart panged as she recalled sitting on the cold floor, knees pulled to her chest as Satoshi rubbed her back, assuring her that he wouldn’t be gone until a few years from now, when she was more grown. The thought of him being gone _at all_ put a sour taste in her mouth, like she’d eaten a fruit that had gone bad. She wouldn’t stand to let her family walk out on her. Not again, not Satoshi.

She knew a baseball scholarship could be easy access for Satoshi to Kyoto University, especially with his skills as a batter. Not to mention, the scholarship would be the only way he would be able to afford such a prestigious education. Keiko inhaled, and set her brow, eyes sharp and calculated. “Fine then, if we’re going to do this, give it all you’ve got.”

A near sinister look bloomed in her brother’s eye, a smug grin creeping over his lips as he pulled back his shoulders, elbows bent. “That’s what I like to hear.”

By the time the three siblings made their way home, the air was beginning to chill, the sun lowering slowly over the neighbourhood. Keiko smiled at the florist on the corner as she passed, seeing the older man's eyes light up. Satoshi carried a napping Ayumi on his shoulders, careful not to let her slip off his back in her slumber. Keiko was grateful her sister had fallen asleep so quickly, it was so much easier to coax her into bed after a long day at the park.

Satoshi was unusually silent next to her, he kept a steady pace but his gaze was unfocused, and cloudy. Keiko often wished she could read minds, it would be so much easier than guessing the thoughts running through someone’s head. She would never have to worry about saying the wrong thing, as she often feared. Her brother must have noticed her imploring expression, and quickly cleared his throat, setting his eyes straight. “You’re doing a really good job, you know.”

Satoshi turned towards her, eyes confused. Keiko smiled. “With helping out dad, I honestly don’t think he could get by without you.” She clarified.

Her words were meant to be comforting, but the tension in Satoshi’s face remained, and Keiko knew she had said the wrong thing. She floundered for words, needing to recover. “Of course, I do just as much as you. How would you ever survive without my superior cooking skills?” She grinned childishly, eyes brimming with forced mirth.

Thankfully, the tension in Satoshi’s shoulders lessened a tad. He shoved her shoulder, scoffing. “Keiko, you burnt fish sticks in the microwave this morning.”

“You said you wanted them extra crispy!”

“I didn’t mean black!” Satoshi squinted in laughter, pulling out the key to their small apartment as they turned onto their block. He remembered how much difficulty his sister had had in transferring to a new neighbourhood. If he was honest, he hadn’t been too pleased with the move either, but they hadn’t had a choice; with only a single income household there was no way they could have supported their large townhouse for much longer without declaring bankruptcy. He was glad she seemed to be adjusting alright, Odaiba was a nice neighbourhood, safe. It would be good for her.

Satoshi took a deep breath, looking out onto the playground across the street, an abandoned swing swayed lightly in the cool breeze. He sighed, eyes following up to the sunset. “Keiko, do you ever think of running away? Not forever but... just for a little while.”

Keiko paused, observing her brother. She couldn’t stem the hurt blooming in her chest at his words. He’s leaving for university, and now he wants to leave even sooner? She knew she and Satoshi had a closeness that was sometimes a bit surprising to others. While other siblings fought amongst themselves, her and Satoshi stood arm in arm, conspiring together rather than against one another. Her chest felt caved in and hollow at the thought of life without her brother. She swallowed hard. “Nope.”

Satoshi sniffed, turning as they approached the front of their building. “Eh, I’m just talking nonsense. One day, I’ll be playing ball in the big leagues, and I still won’t be able to get rid of you yelling in the crowds.” He grinned widely, poking her in the ribs.

Keiko squirmed, and stuck out her tongue, still feeling a bit put out, although the teasing soothed her thoughts slightly. The moment had mercifully passed, and Satoshi was back to being her brother, here and now. “You wish, I’ll be too busy being the most wonderful master chef in Japan-no, in the world!” 

The two giggled, careful not to wake their sister as they continued to rave of their future accomplishments. Keiko let her worries slip away.

**Author's Note:**

> hello there! this will be my first work on ao3, and i figured i might as well make it a digimon fic!
> 
> i know this chapter is a bit odd but it’s just to give a quick insight on the main character, keiko hashimoto, her family life and their relation to the takenouchi’s. the rest of the chapters will mainly be focused on keiko herself and her relationships.
> 
> the story will start off with a bit of the past and an introduction to my characters, then into the events of adventures 01, and most likely progress into 02 and tri! 
> 
> this story will be taking place in japan, although i have used the english names for the characters. also note that i will be including aspects of japanese culture in this. i am NOT japanese so i will most definitely make mistakes, please don’t be afraid to let me know if you notice any!
> 
> another note is how i’ll handle the ages of the characters. watching the series, i never realized some of the characters are as young as ten and i was pretty shocked. for the sake of the story i’ve decided to make most of the characters about thirteen when they go to the digital world, except for joe who will be around fourteen, and tk who is around nine. in the events of the 02 series, everyone will gain three years of age.
> 
> thank you so much for reading and i look forward to seeing you in the future!


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